Tennis is my favorite sport. Since I was seven, I've gone to the tennis court almost everyday to practice. It was my parents who wanted me to try out a sport because as a young boy growing up, I was very sickly. At first, I didn't think that I would enjoy playing. However, that all changed as I became older.

The sport suddenly became a big part of my life. Even though I already had classes, my dad would fetch me from school so that I could go and play tennis. After so many practice sessions, my parents decided that I could try and join some national tournaments. Naturally, I was nervous and didn't know what to expect. I'll never forget that I won my first match because my opponent didn't make it on time for our match so he got defaulted. Then, I got clobbered in my next match since my opponent was way more experienced, not to mention that he was older by a year.

Losing those matches fueled me even more to improve my game and become the best player I can be. Every time I step into the court, I make it a point to always work hard and give it my all. Eventually, the hard work paid off and I had won several national tournaments in the different age groups and started making a name for myself. The climax of my tennis career so far is when I was the number one 14-and-under player of the Philippines. Luckily, I was even  able to use my tennis as a ticket to different countries such as India and Malaysia.

However, right now, I am injured, and I have been for the past year. It is a hard barrier to overcome, but I feel hopeful that I will be able to turn things around. I actually tried joining a couple of tournaments, but I lost earlier than I expected. Tennis has given me a lot, not only physically, but also emotionally and at the same time mentally. Without this sport, I may not be who I am today. I don't think that winning is everything, TENNIS is!